TRH Crown Prince Alexander, Crown Princess Katherine, Hereditary Prince Philip, and Princess Danica of Serbia have attended the official celebrations marking the 80th birthday of HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, held in Stockholm from 29 April to 1 May 2026.
Their Royal Highnesses joined numerous members of European Royal families and distinguished guests in honoring this significant jubilee, further reaffirming the longstanding ties of kinship and friendship between the Royal Houses of Serbia and Sweden. As always, the Royal family of Serbia took the occasion to promote our country and the people, as the event was marked with meetings with numerous heads of state and other important guests.
Reflecting on the occasion, HRH Crown Prince Alexander stated: "My family and I are deeply grateful to TM King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia for their great hospitality, friendship, and kindness. We are honoured to have shared this important and joyous celebration of our dear cousin, His Majesty the King of Sweden.
Such occasions serve as a poignant reminder of the enduring bonds between our families and nations. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and wishes to His Majesty for continued strength, prosperity, and continuous commitment in his service to the people of Sweden. King Carl XVI Gustaf is a true symbol of a monarch in a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, the one who is always working for the benefit of his people and country, strongly devoted to his duty."
The programme of celebrations commenced on 29 April with an informal buffet dinner at the Royal Palace. The central and most solemn programme took place on Thursday, 30 April, beginning with the arrival of guests at the Royal Palace and a Te Deum service held in the Royal Chapel. This was followed by the ceremonial Changing of the Guard in the Outer Courtyard and a choral tribute in honour of His Majesty, performed by choirs from across Sweden.
The official celebrations continued with a luncheon hosted by the Stockholm City Council at the City Hall, before guests returned to the Royal Palace for the evening programme. The highlight of the day was the gala dinner held in the Hall of State, preceded by official photographs with the Swedish Royal Family. The celebrations concluded with a musical "Tattoo" performance by the Swedish Armed Forces Music Corps in the Inner Courtyard.
HRH Hereditary Prince Philip said: "It was a great honour to attend the celebration of the 80th birthday of His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. I am particularly personally delighted and warmed by the fact that Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria, daughter of the King of Sweden, was the maid-oh-honour of my wife Danica and me on our wedding.
Our family's participation in this celebration has a deeper meaning for me – it reminds us of the strong historical, family and cultural ties that connect Serbia and Sweden, as well as our responsibility to preserve and further develop these ties."
On 1 May, Their Royal Highnesses will attend a private luncheon hosted by Their Majesties at Ulriksdals Värdshus, bringing this distinguished gathering to a close.
The participation of the Royal Family of Serbia in this celebration once again highlights the close historical, familial, and cultural ties between Serbia and Sweden, as well as the importance of maintaining and strengthening these relationships for future generations.
As HM King Carl XVI Gustaf established his Foundation for the support of the Scout Movement in Sweden on the occasion of his 80th birthday, the Royal family of Serbia brought a special and symbolic present in support of the King's efforts and the cause he had started. A photo of HM King Peter II in scout uniform, from the time of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, accompanied by a personal letter from HRH Crown Prince Alexander, fostering the noble ideals and goals of the scout movement, was delivered on this occasion, symbolically representing another bridge of friendship, connecting not only the scouts of Sweden and Serbia, but also our two friendly nations.
Together with the Royal Family of Serbia, the Royal families of Europe and the world were present: The Royal family of Sweden including HRH Crown Princess Victoria and her husband HRH Prince Daniel, HRH Princess Estelle and HRH Prince Oscar, HRH Prince Carl Philip and HRH Princess Sofia, HRH Princess Madeleine and Mr Christopher O'Neill, and HRH Princess Christina and her husband Mr Tord Magnuson. Present were also HM King Frederik X, HM Queen Mary, HM Queen Margrethe II, and HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark, HM King Harald V, HM Queen Sonja, and HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, HM King Philippe and HM Queen Mathilde of Belgium, HM Queen Sofia of Spain, HRH Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, HRH Grand Duke Guillaume, HRH Grand Duchess Stéphanie and HRH Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, HRH Hereditary Princess Sophie and HRH Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn and HM Queen Suthida of Thailand, as well as HM Custodian of the Crown of Romania Margareta and HRH Prince Radu of Romania, and many other Royals, as well as HE President of Iceland Mrs.Halla Tómasdóttir and her husband Mr. Björn Skúlason, and HE President of Finland, Mr. Alexander Stubb and Mrs. Suzanne Elizabeth Innes-Stubb.
Their Royal Highnesses expressed their sincere gratitude to the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Kingdom of Sweden for their dedicated assistance and support during the visit, which contributed greatly to the success of this important engagement.
